Season Archive

Substitutes

The Football league allowed one substitute to replace an injured player in the 1965/66 season. However, Liverpool’s first recorded substitution was in the Charity Shield on 15.08.1964, as it was classified as a friendly match. Phil Chisnall came on for Alf Arrowsmith in the 15th minute. The cup competitions followed suit a year later. A substitute, who was allowed to replace a player for whatever purpose was first used in England in 1967/68.

2 substitutes were allowed in the cups 1986/87, in the league from 1987/88 and in European competitions in the 1967/68 season (rising to 3 in Europe the following season). A goalkeeper became a firm fixture on the bench in the league in 1992/93, a year later the cups followed suit. Before 1992, if a goalkeeper got injured, a replacement keeper was permitted.

Since 1994/95 five subs have been allowed in league games. 5 were allowed in European games since the 1969/70 season, the number rising to 7 in the 1997/98 season. The cup competitions only allowed 3 in 1994/95, but raised the number to 5 in 1998/1999.

Information about players, who made the bench, but did not make an appearance is available from 1975/76.

The exact time a substitution was made is available in this database from the 1987/88 season onwards.